This invention relates to packaging apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus useful in forming pouches to facilitate insertion of articles therein.
In the food packaging art is has been a practice to provide apparatus for opening a flat, gusseted-bottom pouch and inserting therein a rectangular ram operable to shape the pouch and insert it into a rectangular carton or carrier for filling.
Difficulties are encountered frequently in that the pouch walls do not always readily conform to the shape of the ram and carton, leading to difficulties in subsequent filling with, for example, predetermined volumes of foods or the like, for subsequent sealing.
The following is a listing of U.S. Patents believed material to the examination of this application, together with a concise explanation of the relevance of each:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,224,656 discloses opposed suction devices movable toward one another to engage a flattened bag and movable apart to open the bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,281,516 discloses opposed suction boxes A for opening collapsed bags B in preparation for filling.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,453,799 discloses pouch opening apparatus, including suction cups 54, each provided with a flat edge portion 54a for eliminating tendency of the pouch wall to become wrinkled.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,179 discloses suction means for removing a bag from a hopper and onto holding means 30 for insertion of a product as indicated in FIG. 3 thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,096 discloses opposed pairs of suction cups 6 and 9 operative to engage and spread the walls of flattened pouch 1.
It is a general objective of the invention to provide improved apparatus of the foregoing type ensuring full opening of a pouch to a rectangular, set-up configuration.
It is a further and more specific objective of the invention to provide improved suction cup apparatus operative to engage and form a crease of predetermined configuration in a plastic film.
A still further objective of the invention is the provision of improvements in pouch filling apparatus enhancing its reliability and economy of operation.